15th of April 2017, I’m nervous, I landed in Orlando the day before, my English is not the greatest, my chemistry skills are surely just as good, I’ll be an exchange student from Toulouse all summer here at UF. John accepted to supervise my internship, quite surprisingly, I didn’t see his name on the QTP website so he was not even part of my « wishlist ». He has just moved back to Gainesville after being in Austin for many years and he is a « star professor » in Theoretical Chemistry, someone told me. I have my first meeting with him at « 13h30 », like he wrote to not confuse the European I am. 13h32, John’s office had nothing but a couch, a coffee table, two chairs and his desk was weirdly placed against the wall. Boat shoes on the table, hands crossed behind the head,« what do you know ? », he asked me. I stammered a little, told him what I have been learning this year, surely he is going to regret taking me as an intern I thought, he smiled and said « That’s very good. Your english is also impressive for someone who never visited the US before. » Then, we talked about his childhood, about mine, I’m no longer panicked, John just unconsciously showed me that this internship is going to be the finest I could have applied for. I’m from Corsica, he will now use the name « Napoleon » in our e-mails exchange, if someone notices that his shirt is inside-out and points it out, John retorts "I know, it's fashion", we bet beers on whether I’m right or wrong on a result and he seems to always travel to other universities, invited by his professor friends . It became all clear in my mind, when I’ll be a scientist, I want to be just like John. Three months later, I have to go back to France and finish my master degree, he offered me to come back and get my PhD with him once it’s done. Florida is far from home, I declined politely at that time. Pros of doing a PhD in Europe : friends, family, take less time to complete etc. Cons of doing a PhD in Europe : John is in Gainesville. Eventually, I was part of his research group two years later.
I’m sure you’re in peace, legs crossed on a coffee table (boat shoes on) in one of those wooden chalet we receive every year attached to your holiday wishes, trying to figure out your next unconventional and funny talk title. O Captain! My Captain! So long professor !